Circular stapling instruments are well known in the surgical art for bowel surgery. An example of such a device is the Endopath ILS ECS 25 Endoscopic Curved Intraluminal Stapler made by Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc. Many circular stapler patents exist, for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,207,898 to Becht, U.S. Pat. No. 4,351,466 to Noiles, U.S. Pat. No. 5,292,053 to Bilotti et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,059 to Green et. al.
Currently, circular stapling instruments are not designed to be reusable and therefore are typically assembled in a manner which makes disassembly difficult without damaging components of the circular stapling instruments. Additionally, the components of the circular stapling instruments are also not designed to be cleaned or sterilized after use.
As a result it would be desirable to have a circular stapling instrument which can be disassembled without damaging components of the circular stapling instruments, and wherein the components of the circular stapling instruments can be cleaned or sterilized after use.